We are not about to send American boys 9 or 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves.

The quote "We are not about to send American boys 9 or 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves" by Lyndon B. Johnson reflects his stance on U.S. military involvement in Asia, particularly in the context of the Vietnam War. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, is expressing his reluctance to commit American soldiers to fight in foreign conflicts that he believed should be resolved by the local populations themselves. He emphasizes that Vietnamese and other Asian nations should take responsibility for their own defense and not rely on U.S. intervention.

The quote conveys a broader sentiment of nationalism and self-reliance, suggesting that American resources and lives should not be spent on resolving issues in foreign countries when those countries have the capacity to handle their own problems. It also reflects the frustration and skepticism many Americans felt about the escalating military conflict in Vietnam, questioning the necessity of further U.S. involvement. Johnson was attempting to justify his approach to foreign policy while also trying to manage domestic opposition to the war.

The origin of this quote lies in Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency during the early years of the Vietnam War. While Johnson initially supported the military intervention in Vietnam, his sentiment here was part of his efforts to explain why U.S. forces were being sent to distant places. This quote reflects his struggle between being committed to the fight against communism in Asia and acknowledging the limits of U.S. involvement in the region.

Ultimately, Johnson’s quote points to the complex and controversial nature of American foreign policy in the 1960s. His statement reflects a tension between international responsibility and national interests, as well as the growing public disillusionment with the war. The idea that local conflicts should be handled by the people who are directly affected by them became a significant part of the debate surrounding U.S. interventionism in foreign wars.